- Sound high on the face of it, but what would you charge for this 12' long colony and repairs:


 

Also:
In my business I price honey, pollination and other services based on cost plus a small profit. I care less what others charge for their honey or bee removal. Plenty  of good beekeepers but do not understand business principals.

Catching a swarm can be done by most beekeepers. Bee house removal in many cases not simple.


The point I think Pete was trying to make in his post (not trying to put words in his mouth) was when only a very small number of bee removal people are in an area . Without competitive bidding for jobs those doing bee removal can charge as they see fit.

Underestimating the time involved on a bee removal is common (personal experience).

Working off ladders happens in over 50% of removals. Painters, roofers and window washers work off ladders and the equipment is not expensive (compared to other business ventures and lasts years).

One has to take the above and divide into two parts:

 "what would you charge for this 12 long colony"

The actual removal in many (most?) cases is done and priced separately. Only in simple repairs do most removals I have saw and been involved with involve the beekeeper doing the house repair. 
"and repairs"

repairs can involve estimates, getting materials, repair and painting or brick or shingle repair.
I imagine in certain cases Don has to sublet repairs to a roofer or brick layer.

*In my opinion*:
I think the beekeeper should stick with the basic removal (and secure the site from weather etc.) and leave the entrance repair to the home owner. Nailing back a board removal sure but extensive house repair
after a bee removal on a expensive house would not interest me.
 
>- $25 an hour, $50 an hour, $100 an hour???

I expect you would find those doing bee removal charging various fees.

other home service businesses:
Under a business name the hourly charge for the worker might be a 100 an hour but the worker might get minimum wage.

 What I see in home repair these days is a young man show up from a respected company give an estimate for roofing, painting etc, and when time to show up a sublet labor crew of Hispanic workers show up to do the actual work.

Removal service:
I think fair pricing would be to set pricing based on a *free *estimate.*
A base charge plus mileage for each trip to the home. (two and up are not unusual)
An hourly charge based on cost plus profit while doing the actual work.
An amount added to each job to cover materials and yearly insurance cost ( above under cost)

After the removal and only then:
I would if Don S. give an estimate based on materials, time etc. for the repair and invite the home owner to get other estimates if they wanted .

 - What about risk, should I charge more when I'm working on expensive homes to cover unforeseen problems that may arise.

Good question 

Most home owners will not let a company or person work on their home without insurance. 
As a business owner I recommend incorporating or becoming a LLC. Give all estimates in the business name and carry liability insurance.

I would spend a day or two getting a pest control license. A few commercial beekeepers posses a valid pest control license in their states.


>So Bob, will you treat these feral surviving swarms? ;)

Yes.

bob

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